Conservatives elected

PUBLISHED: 11:24 04 May 2007 | UPDATED: 12:25 04 May 2010

The Conservative candidates

THE Conservative Party has been elected as East Cambridgeshire District Council s ruling party with a majority of nine. Following the count the district council is now made up of 24 Conservative, 13 Liberal Democrat and two Independent councillors. Leader

THE Conservative Party has been elected as East Cambridgeshire District Council's ruling party with a majority of nine.

Following the count the district council is now made up of 24 Conservative, 13 Liberal Democrat and two Independent councillors.

Leader of the Conservative group, Brian Ashton, said: "four years ago we only had two Conservatives on this district council, and today 24 seats. We have been entrusted with a task by the local electorate to take a hold of future development of our community and we will do our utmost to rise to this challenge."

The count began at 10pm, just as the first ballot boxes arrived, with over 3,000 postal votes being counted. The count then went through the night with last result declared at 4.34am after 21,769 votes had been cast equalling a turn out of 36.4 per cent.

Before the election, the council was made up of 17 Liberal Democrat, 16 Conservative and 6 Independent councillors.

Nearly half of the councillors are new members to East Cambridgeshire District Council.

John Hill, chief executive at East Cambridgeshire District Council and Returning Officer on the night, said: "It was another exciting night for democracy in East Cambridgeshire with over 21,000 people going to their polling station and choosing the members of the district council.

"We are sorry to say goodbye to members who have lost their seats but I know we have gained a large number of new and enthusiastic councillors."

A number of high profile and long-serving councillors lost their seats in this year's election, these included: Richard Hobbs who had been chairman of the council, Colin McLean, Paul Philpott, Derek Reader, Nigel Bell, Mike Bunting, Bill Pickess, Louis Rodrigues, Colin Fordham, John Palmer and Patricia Pleydell.